Forest (3)

Long Xiu Yun felt sweat drip down her forehead. She turned around completely. She didn't feel safe leaving her back exposed to this creature.

The creature was almost an exact copy of the jaguar like creature that was injured behind her. However a dense black mist wrapped around its entire body melding into it like shadows. The dense black mist seemed to be consuming its body and its eyes were feral like. Crouching, another guttural growl escaped from its throat, warning of its impending strike.

The jaguar like creature behind her growled in response, its tone weak and angry. Long Xiu Yun recognized that tone. It was nearly identical to the one she heard outside the cavern, full of pain and agony. A thought crossed her mind when she sensed its mood, "Your partner?"

The jaguar like creature used what little strength it had left to stand. Seeing its movements, the one surrounded in black mist pounced, swiping its claws towards them. Long Xiu Yun dove out of the way, her hands protecting her head.

Quickly getting up from the ground, she turned back to see the two jaguar like creatures fiercely fighting. The injured jaguar like creature was at a disadvantage protecting its cubs. The wounds on its body slowing it down. Long Xiu Yun nervously watched the fight. They had nearly trampled the two cubs a few times and it was only due to the injured one doing its best that they hadn't already.

She wanted to move. To run to the cubs and get them away but her foot was stuck in place.

A weak roar jolted her awake. Turning her attention back onto the two jaguar like creatures, the sight of the injured one collapsing to the ground filled her vision. The one covered in shadows towering over it. It raised its paws, ready to give a last blow. Long Xiu Yun met eyes with the collapsed jaguar, its life fading from its eyes. It gave one last weak growl as if pleading to her. Distraught, she could only watch as the paw swung down.

Long Xiu Yun's breath hitched in her throat. The jaguar like creature surrounded in shadows turned its attention towards the cubs. One step at a time it inched closer and closer.

4 feet.

3 feet.

2 feet.

1 feet.

It stood before the cubs.

"Move," Long Xiu Yun muttered to herself.

Its front paw raised high into the air.

"Move."

The jaguar like creature surrounded in shadows swung down with the force of a mountain.

"Move!"

Awakened by her shout, her legs carried her forward. Grabbing the two cubs, she only felt a tearing pain from her shoulder to her elbow. She tumbled, rolling across the ground as she hugged the cubs in her embrace.

Laying on the cavern floor, a shooting pain flared up her arm, making her scream. The pain tore through her, the feeling of her flesh being clawed out racked her mind. She whimpered as she sat up, blood trickling down her torn sleeves. Three gashes marred her arms. Her wounds issuing out the same dense black mist as the jaguar like creature standing before her.

Seeing its prey escape by a hair's breath, a low guttural growl escaped its lips. Long Xiu Yun stood slowly, eyeing the jaguar like creature carefully. The entrance to the tunnel was behind it quite a distance away. If she tried to run to it, she'd no doubt be attacked.

The raging river on the other hand was closer. She eyed the distance. She could probably make it if she used the stalagmites to cover her figure. Panting, she took one step to the left. Her arms gripped tight around the cubs, blood dripping down her arm. The jaguar like creature took a step closer, growling in warning.

Face pale, she slowly took another step. Each time she did so, the jaguar like creature took a step in turn, its growl growing louder and harsher.

It pounced.

Long Xiu Yun dove behind a stalagmite. Due to the force of its paws, the stalagmite broke, the pieces slamming into her back. Her breath knocked out of her, Long Xiu Yun saw spots of black dotting her vision.

Her hair in disarray, dust and blood covered her person. Her light purple gown had a large tear on her right arm. The two cubs laying in her arms. She struggled to get on her feet. Her nerves were on the edge. Her exhaustion and injuries kept her head from being clear.

Without the ability to think clearly, she turned and ran towards the river. The jaguar like creature caught up swiftly, striking towards her back.

Long Xiu Yun gasped and fell forward. The cubs rolling a few feet in front of her. The tearing sensation ripped at her back. Her every movement bringing flares of pain shooting up her back.

"*cough* *cough* *cough*" Her lungs seared with pain, her breathing unstable. She struggled to sit up. Her hands propping her body up from the ground.

As though they weighed a thousand pounds, she struggled to keep her eyes open, not letting the jaguar like creature out of her sight. The dense black mist surrounding it making its figure hazy. Its bright piercing eyes eyeing her down like prey. It let out a piercing roar as though to claim its victory. Long Xiu Yun felt dread take hold of her heart.

"Mew."

The soft and weak mewl shocked her system. Her head woodenly turned towards the cubs. The smaller one pitifully calling out for its parents. Her head turned towards the collapsed jaguar like creature, its final pleading growl resounding in her mind.

"Grrrrrr," the jaguar like creature surrounded in shadows took two steps forward, sticking close to the ground. Its piercing yellow eyes fixed onto her figure, ready to attack.

Gritting her teeth, she glared at the jaguar like creature before her. Long Xiu Yun's emotions were turbulent. Rising high and low. Affected by her turbulent emotions, her eyes let out a dazzling light azure glow in the low light of the cavern, her pupils narrowing to the utmost.

"BACK OFF!" She bared her teeth, issuing a warning from deep within her.

The jaguar like creature flinched. Long Xiu Yun took the chance to grab the cubs and run towards the river 15 feet ahead of her. Her little legs carried her as fast as she could, but the jaguar like creature caught up to her in a moment once it came out of its stupor.

It was right behind her.

'Faster. Faster. Faster!' She was screaming in her mind, wishing she could grow wings and disappear from this place right this instant.

The moment she thought that, a tearing sensation came from her shoulder blades. Small, scaled wings protruded from her back, ripping through her torn gown, and lifting her off the ground. Her speed more than doubled as she flew towards the river on instinct.

The jaguar like creature shot forward, the dense black mist on its body increasing in vigor. Long Xiu Yun's adrenaline kicked in, her speed boosting even further. Plunging into the river, she let the currents sweep her away, her hold on the cubs tightening.

At the loss of its prey, the jaguar like creature roared ferociously on the edge of the river.